1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for connecting metal pipes or rigid resin tubes (hereinafter, simply refer to pipe arrangements) having a relatively small diameter of about 20 mm which are generally arranged as a supply passage for oil and air in an automotive vehicle or various kinds of mechanical apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The connector described in Japanese Patent Application No. 8-121063 which was filed to the Japanese Patent Office on Apr. 18, 1996 by the applicant of this application, is substantially sufficient for many purposes.
The conventional connector has a sleeve member mounted without rotation in clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The sleeve member expands to engage with a tongue-like resilient wall portion communicating to a hook wall provided in the outer peripheral portion thereof. However the rotating position in the expansion wall together with rotation of the sleeve member at a time of connecting the pipe arrangements and releasing them can not be constant. Accordingly, the operation is required to be performed with attention, thereby incurring difficulties. Further, in the case that a large amount of drawing force is applied to the pipe arrangements, there is a possibility that the tongue-like resilient wall may be expanded and opened, so that the further improvement has been required in view of the above points.